Happy Birthday Renaldo Domino!

Celebrating the birthday of Windy City soul great Renaldo Domino with a few performances worth checking. 

Happy 70th Birthday Renaldo Domino!

Raising a glass to the Windy City soul great on his birthday with a string-enhanced performance of his Twinight classic "Not Too Cool To Cry" 

Renaldo Domino single release @ Chicago's Hideout Inn, Saturday

Veteran Windy City soul swinger Renaldo Domino launches his new single at Chicago's Hideout Inn with The Heavy Sounds on January 4th.

Renaldo Domino Hits The Hideout

Renaldo Domino's rare Arnell single now goes for $800!

Chicago soul great Renaldo Domino (born Renaldo Jones) hails from “The Valley” around 49th & Forestville. He got his name because his voice was sweet like Domino-brand sugar. The uptempo "Don't Go Away" – the B-side of his 1967 single for Smash Records – was followed by a re-release of the sweet soul groover "I'm Hip To Your Game" which appeared on the flipside of his exceedingly rare debut for the tiny Arnell Records label.

Hooking up with Syl Johnson's legendary Twinight label in 1969, Renaldo knocked out a string of gems over the next couple of years including his masterpiece, the string-enhanced "Not Too Cool To Cry" (listen below) which were reissued in 2007 as part of the anthology Eccentric Soul: Twinight's Lunar Rotation put out by Chicago's Numero Group and features a snazzy vintage cover photo of the sharp suited Renaldo working his magic on stage at his peak.

During the 70s – up until the disco boom prompted a career change into insurance sales and TV cable installation – Renaldo performed exclusively at Chicago's South Side venues so his upcoming appearance in the North Branch Industrial Corridor with The Heavy Sounds at the venerable Hideout Inn (run by Chicagoans of the Year, Tim & Katie Tuten, check the Chicago Tribune story right here)  is a rare event which should be celebrated with Old Styles raised high.

The 69 year-old crooner, making the most of his unlikely resurgence, will be launching his latest single for Ohio's Colemine Records this weekend,  pairing two songs he wrote back in the 80s, "No Laggin' and Draggin'" b/w "Give Up The Love" which comes backed with that familiar Daptone-inspired sound so popular with the younger crowd that makes up most of Renaldo's current audience. You can pre-order a limited edition copy of Renaldo's new single on gold vinyl (while supplies last) right here. Listen to "No Laggin' and Draggin'" following a couple of Renaldo's classics below.

Renaldo Domino w/ The Heavy Sounds
at The Hideout Inn (1354 W. Wabansia Ave), Chicago
Saturday (January 4), 8 PM doors, 9 PM show. $10.00

Happy Birthday Renaldo Domino!

Celebrating Renaldo's birthday with clips of his classic Not To Cool To Cry and Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up.